Impatiens plant named Sunglow

ABSTRACT

An Impatiens plant named Sunglow, having orange and cream-white bicolor flower petals; small leaves having a heavy cream center variegation; two flowers per leaf axil resulting in a floriferous habit; and having a vigorous, self-branched and dense compact growth habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive cultivar ofImpatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens, and referred to by thecultivar name Sunglow. Sunglow was developed by me through controlledbreeding by crossing Mikkelsen Seedling No. 82-873-1 (seed parent) withMikkelsen Seedling No. 83-513-3 (pollen parent). Asexual reproduction ofthe progeny of the stated cross by terminal or stem cuttings performedin Ashtabula, Ohio has shown that unique features of this new Impatiensare stabilized and are reproduced true to type in successivepropagations.

The following characteristics in combination distinguish the newImpatiens from both its parent varieties and other cultivated Impatiensof this type known and used in the floriculture industry. In certaininstances the characteristics of Sunglow are compared with similarcharacteristics of other cultivars. Of the cultivars referred to, Astrois disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,691, and Sunregal, Sunburst,Sundazzle and Twilight are disclosed in pending applications.

1. Sunglow has a distinct medium orange and cream-white bicolor flowerwhich is similar in pattern to Sunregal, Sundazzle, and Sunburst.Twilight is only slightly bicolored, and Astro is only bicolored on theupper petal.

2. Sunglow has a medium red main stem which is similar to Astro andSunburst. Sunregal and Twilight have more red pigment in their stems,while Sundazzle only has a touch of red in its stem.

3. Flower size of Sunglow is smaller than Astro, Twilight, Sundazzle,Sunregal and Sunburst.

4. Sunglow is larger than Sundazzle and Sunburst in plant size but has asimilar mounded habit. Sunglow is similar in size to Sunregal but moremounded, and is more compact and dense than either Astro or Twilight.

5. Sunglow has heavy cream center variegation of the leaves which issimilar to Astro and Twilight. Sunregal and Sundazzle have novariegation, and Sunburst has only a small amount of variegation of themidrib near the bottom of the leaf on mature foliage.

6. Sunglow has small leaves, being similar to Sunregal in leaf size.Astro, Twilight, Sundazzle and Sunburst all have larger leaves.

7. The main leaf color of Sunglow is a dull dark green which is similarto Twilight. Astro has more purple in the green, Sunregal has a shinydark green leaf, and Sundazzle and Sunburst have a more yellow greenleaf.

8. Sunglow has two flowers per leaf axil which is similar to Sundazzle,Sunregal and Sunburst, while Astro and Twilight only have one flower perleaf axil.

9. Sunglow is highly self-branched, vigorous, dense and small-leavedmaking it suitable for 4" pots, hanging baskets and bedding plant use.

10. Flowering is 3 to 5 days earlier than Twilight and Astro, but 3 to 5days later than Sunregal, Sundazzle and Sunburst under greenhouseconditions in the spring.

Of the accompanying colored photographs, sheet 1 is a perspective viewshowing the overall appearance of Sunglow, showing the colors as true asit is reasonably possible to obtain in a colored reproduction of thistype.

Sheet 2 is a color photograph showing the bicolor flower color ofSunglow in enlarged form.

The following is a detailed description of Sunglow based on plantsproduced under commercial practices in Ashtabula, Ohio under bothgreenhouse and outdoor conditions. Photographs were taken on greenhousegrown plants in early June. Color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Parentage: A controlled cross between Mikkelsen Seedling No. 82-873-1and Mikkelsen Seedling No. 83-513-3.

Propagation:

(A) Type cutting.--Stem 15 mm long will develop to 4 to 5 cm long in 18to 21 days.

(B) Time to root.--8 to 10 days at 23° C. summer, and 10 to 12 days at20° C. winter.

(C) Rooting habit.--Heavy, fibrous.

Plant description:

(A) Form.--Compact, symmetrically mounded, light red stemmed, vigorousflowering herb.

(B) Habit of growth.--Vigorous, dense, compact, self-branched, mounded,continuous flowering with flowers over the top of the foliage.

(C) Foliage description.--Small dark green leaves with golden yellowvariegation in the center of the leaf going almost to the tip on matureplants. (1) Size: 7 to 8 cm long by 1.5 to 2.0 cm wide at the widestpoint. (2) Shape: Lanceolate with acuminate apex and acute base. (3)Texture: Upper side slightly rugose and underside glabrous. (4) Margin:Entire with fine cilia. (5) Color: Young foliage top side 146A. Underside: 138A. Mature foliage top side 147A, variegated with 163A. Underside: 183 B, variegated with 180A. (6) Venation: Pinnate; midrib isreddish in color.

Flowering description:

(A) Flowering habits.--Flowers continuously from leaf whorl inprogressively orderly manner taking 5 to 7 days from large bud to bloom.Each leaf axil has two flowers. All primary flowers open in a whorlbefore the secondary flowers begin to open, beginning with the same axilthat opened the first primary flower. When the secondary flowers areabout finished opening, the primary flowers of the whorl above start toopen. Flowers last 2 to 3 weeks.

(B) Natural flowering season.--Indeterminant and continuous. Quantity offlowering increases with increasing levels of light.

(C) Flower buds.--Ellipsoidal, flowers perfect, reddish spurapproximately 3 cm long on mature buds with throat behind ovary andoriginating from the major sepal.

(D) Flowers borne.--On individual 4.0 to 4.5 cm pedicels from a whorl of5 leaves, flowering progressively around the whorl as leaves and budsdevelop. All primary flowers in a whorl flower before the secondary onesstart. Flowers both over and in the leaf canopy.

(E) Quantity of flowers.--Floriferous due to the two flowers per leafaxial. Flowering development is continuous so that tight buds to maturebloom are visible at the same time.

(F) Petals.--(1) Shape: Heart shaped, top petal dominant over otherpetals; 4 overlapping and symmetrical. (2) Color: Top side in summerwhen opening, dull 34A and 49B, fading to 34A and 49C and D; under side34B. (3) Number of petals: Five (5) in number. (4) Size of flowers: 3.5to 4.0 cm in diameter.

(G) Reproductive organs.--(1) Stamens: Five (5) in number. (a) Anthershape: Hooded, color cream. (b) Pollen color: Cream. (2) Pistels (a)Stigma: Five (5) in number, segmented, column shaped, color purplish.(b) Style color: Purplish. (c) Ovaries: Five (5) in number, celled, size4 mm until fertilized, purplish in color with hint of green.

Disease resistance: No significant disease or insect problems noted todate.

SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF NEW CULTIVAR

1. Small leaves and dense compact plant make Sunglow excellent for 10and 14 cm pots.

2. Performs very well under low light and 70° F. conditions, continuingto flower without loss of flower size or fading or severe leaf drop.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Impatiens plant named Sunglow, asdescribed and illustrated, and particularly characterized by its orangeand cream-white bicolor flower petals; small leaves having a heavy creamcenter variegation; two flowers per leaf axil resulting in a floriferoushabit; and by its vigorous, self-branched and dense compact growthhabit.